Michael Kent was a farmer from Kansas, who became Immortal in 1911 following an accident with a threshing machine. At the time of his first death, Kent was a dirt poor farmer, but over the years, he did everything to remove that image, turning into a well-educated, but completely humorless man, who was obsessed with success. Finding the business world to his liking, Kent had little interest in the affairs of other immortals or the Game, but this did not prevent him from using his wealth to seeking out the best sword and the best training money could buy.

By 1994, Kent had become a wealthy and powerful businessman. His company Nippon Enterprises was one of the best equipped in the stock market. He also owned a penthouse in the Ginza district of Tokyo, where he met Midori Koto. A descendant of the samurai, Hideo Koto, Midori was heir to the ancient Koto Estates, which over the years had fallen on hard times and was nearly bankrupt. Helping out with her family's financial issues the Kotos felt indebted to Kent, and Midori eventually married him to mitigate the family debt.

Kent greatly admired the beauty of his wife, considering her a work of art. But he viewed his wife as his property. Upon discovering that she was having an affair, he killed her lover, Akira Yoshida, with the terrified Midori as a witness to his crime. Coming to her afterwards, she stabbed him and fled, not knowing that he was an Immortal.

Michael Kent about to face off with Duncan MacLeod

Upon his revival, Kent immediately went about tracking down his wife. Coordinating the search from his boat, the "Golden Mystique" his search led him to Seacouver. In a hotel, he met Immortal, Duncan MacLeod, and finally caught up with Midori (who was shocked to find him alive), and found out that MacLeod saw himself as a protector of the Koto family.

Although MacLeod had called on Kent to let her go, for reasons of family honor, Midori returned to Kent, after which both flew back to Japan. A few days later, MacLeod arrived in Japan, meeting Midori at Hideo's grave. There he spoke with Midori and finally called out Kent. They fought on the shoreline and MacLeod took his head.
Kent's Watcher up to his death was Naoko Kadota, marketing director of Nippon Enterprises Kent.

Kent's weapon, befitting someone who has been in Japan for a long period of time, was a katana.

This katana was crafted by Muramasa at the end of Japan's Momoyana Period and given to a samurai of the Koto family. It was used by Duncan in 1778 during his time training in kenjutsu under Hideo Koto. According to Kent, the sword cut through five condemned men during its initial test, with the results recorded on the tang.

Interestingly, after Kent's defeat, the Muramasa katana is seen sitting on a stand on top of Duncan's office desk in DeSalvo's Martial Arts dojo.